My first Icon - looks nooby? Any comments?

[Ken Christopher]

Hi, I have been long no in The Hive Workshop and now I have come back with my new and the very first icon. Just started to learn on how to make icon. It looks not so nice and cartonese to me, but how to get them look normal? Can anyone please tell me? And what are your comments?

 

[M4stah]

Its too bright and the borders are not good. Check out this for good borders. Also I would add a outline on the sword

 

[Ken Christopher]

Its too bright and the borders are not good. Check out this for good borders. Also I would add a outline on the sword

Oh Ok. I change it now and repost here. Thank you for your comment and also for the link of tool.

EDIT:
Here's are my remake's icons using ButtonManager that you sent to me and darken the icon.
For the outline, I think it's not suitable for mine. Because I havent found any color that match it yet.
So how is it? Any comments?

 

[bounty hunter2]

The red is bad, it should be black, the background. The head has no shadows, and looks quite strange. Along with the blade. This needs more work.

 

[Ken Christopher]

The red is bad, it should be black, the background. The head has no shadows, and looks quite strange. Along with the blade. This needs more work.

The red is not a background, it is the auras or glow of the aword. But if it is really bad, I will change it to black instead. Ok for the shadows, I will improve it. Thank you.

 

[bounty hunter2]

The glow, should be improved, just make it little around the edges.

 

[Ken Christopher]

The glow, should be improved, just make it little around the edges.

Alright, in progressing of redo it.

EDIT:
@ bounty hunter2
Is the glow you mean like this? and how about the shadow? Is it correct now?

 

[Devine]

That's better.
Now do hue and saturation and put the saturation to like -25% or something.

 

[Ken Christopher]

That's better.
Now do hue and saturation and put the saturation to like -25% or something.

Mmm....thank you. But can I know why must we put hue and saturation to -25? Is it to make the color uniform?

Like this?

 

[M4stah]

I think the handle should be longer

 

[Ken Christopher]

I think the handle should be longer

Other than the handle should be longer, anything still I have to change?

 

[M4stah]

Nope. My only suggestion is to make the glwo a little bit larger. But thats my opinion

 

[RaijinSpark]

I smell MS paint?

 

[Ken Christopher]

Nope. My only suggestion is to make the glwo a little bit larger. But thats my opinion

Oh Ok. So here's my outcome of what you have suggested. Increased the glow and longer the handle.

So how is it? Still need any changes? *Changes help improvement*

EDIT:
@ DarkHorse08
Nope, I dont use MS Paint. Im using Photoshop CS2 with my own sketch drawing.

 

[GooseBoy]

Looks very good for me. But a bit cartoonish.

 

[Ken Christopher]

Thank you. I know the head there looks like cartoon. But I dont think i can make it not cartoonish. This is the best I can do.

Latest update: